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Archive for IPCC Report or Review – Page 2

Died 20th December 2012

Rebecca Sessecar (25) was found stabbed to death at her home in Duppas Court, Duppas Hill Terrace, Croydon, south London, on 20th December 2012. A post-mortem gave cause of death as multiple stab wounds.

Bulent Sessacar (28), her husband, was charged, on 28th December, with the murder of Ms Sessacar and ABH in relation to a six-year-old girl. Following Ms Sessecar’s death, he was treated in hospital for a number of injuries which the police said were “not believed to be life-threatening.”

Also at the address was a six-year-old girl who was taken into emergency foster care by Croydon Council Children’s Services.

The case has been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission because of her husband’s previous contact with police.

Rebecca Sessacar worked at Asda and was a trainee teaching assistant. She had a daughter.

Sandra Ward, Rebecca Sessacar’s mother, said she was devastated when officers told her the news of her daughter’s death. Ms Ward described Ms Sessacar as a dedicated mother and a dedicated wife. She said she was currently training to be a teaching assistant at the Aerodome Primary School, Purley. She said: “My daughter was always good with children. She loved her daughter and spent a lot of time with her. She would read to her all the time. She was training to be a teaching assistant as she was great with children. Rebecca was always happy and outgoing. She was a lively girl. She would never like to hear people grumble. Rebecca always looked on the bright side of life.”

Karunanithy Mukunthan, who lives on the top floor of Duppas Court, said Ms Sessacar was very good with the children who lived in the flats.

Mr Mukunthan said: “Rebecca was a very nice lady, her daughter is friends with my daughter. She was very popular with a lot of people here and she had a huge trampoline for everyone to use. She sent a letter to everyone saying they could use it. It is very sad what has happened.”

Another neighbour, who didn’t wished to be named, said there were “arguments” in the past with police sometimes being called to deal with the matter.

Police said that on 20th they were called to a disturbance at about 3.20pm. A spokesperson said: “Police and London Ambulance Service found an injured woman in her mid 20s who was then pronounced dead at the scene. A man in his late 20s was found with injuries which are not believed to be life-threatening.”

The murder investigation is led by Detective Chief Inspector Russell Taylor from the Homicide and Serious Crime Command (HSCC).

Died 3rd January 2013

Evelyn Stevens (88) was found dead in the street outside her flat in Baltimore Court, The Drive, Hove, East Sussex. Her body was discovered by a member of the public

A 49-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder the same day. Police have said Mrs Stevens and the arrested man were known to each other, but were not related.

A window on the second floor was open. A post-mortem examination revealed the pensioner had suffered injuries consistent with a fall from height. The circumstances as to how she came to her death remained under investigation.

The case has been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC). Sussex Police said the IPCC referral followed previous contact between the woman and the force.

Neighbours said Mrs Stevens had been concerned about her safety.

One of Ms Stevens’s neighbours, Jo Hewitt, said she had heard from a friend that Ms Stevens had just changed her locks. She said: “The first thing she [the friend] knew, that there was a problem, was the police knocking her door down. “She came out and said ‘I’ve got keys because she has just changed her lock’ but it was too late by then.”

Other people living nearby spoke about their shock and horror at what happened.

Appealing for information, Detective Chief Inspector Ian Pollard said: “We are continuing to investigate how Mrs Stevens came to her tragic death and are exploring a number of possibilities.”

Detective Chief Inspector Claire Pridgeon, of Surrey and Sussex Major Crime Team, is leading the investigation. She said: “Detectives are working to establish the full circumstances surrounding the death of the woman and I would appeal for anyone who saw or heard anything suspicious in The Drive before 7am this morning to contact police.”

Died 25th May 2012 (Updated Report)

Rushna Begum (28) died on 25th May 2012 at Newmill House in Bromley-by-Bow, east London, murdered by her husband Sheikh Shahidul Islam (35). She was stabbed to death.

On 21st November 2012 he was sentenced to life imprisonment at the Old Bailey after pleading guilty. He was ordered to serve a minimum term of 14 and a half years. The court was told that Islam had “not displayed any sign of remorse” since the murder.

After Rushna Begum was killed, Islam left their son alone in the house with his mother’s dead body before travelling to a relative’s home in Luton and asking them to call the police. Islam claimed that he thought his son was at nursery at the time. When the police found the boy, who had been there for hours, he was crying and told them “Mummy couldn’t answer the phone because she was sleeping”.

Ms Begum and her husband had been married for 10 years and they had two sons together, but he had a gambling problem and Ms Begum had been subjected to death threats and domestic abuse. Before the fatal attack, Ms Begum had contacted police about her husband’s abuse after he threatened her with a knife. She also visited a domestic violence centre, where she was seen to have a black eye and bruises.

Ms Begum told police that she had been “mentally tortured” by her husband since his gambling problems began in 2009. She had described him as being “addicted to gambling”. In 2011 the couple, who had over £30,000 worth of debt, were taken to court by creditors, Prosecutor Peter Kyte QC told the court that Islam had gambled away up to £900,000 during the marriage, including the profits he made from selling his takeaway shop in East Ham and a small kiosk. She decided to stay with him but, a few weeks later, Islam started to threaten her again saying “I will put an end to your life.”

Ms Begum had complained to her housing manager about her husband’s threatening behaviour, saying she was “extremely concerned” about her safety and the safety of her children. She told the housing manager that her husband had threatened to kill her on “numerous occasions”.

In February 2012, their families called a meeting to discuss their marriage. It was reported that during the meeting, Islam accused his wife of having an affair but also asked her to forgive him for losing their savings, spending her wages and selling her car and jewellery. It was unclear from reports whether the issue of his violence had been discussed.

Defence lawyer Jane Bickerstaff said Islam claimed his wife said “I have broken my promise to you” during the argument, which he said he interpreted as meaning that she had been unfaithful.

Detective Inspector Pete North described the killing as a “violent and despicable crime” and said that Islam had not “displayed any sign of remorse or compassion throughout the investigation”. He added: “This is demonstrated by the fact that he murdered Rushna whilst their two-year-old son was present in the address and then left him alone with his mother’s lifeless body. It was only thanks to the concern of family members that he was found over four hours later.”

In a statement, Ms Begum’s uncle, who helped arrange the marriage, said: “The children have had their whole world turned upside down.” He said Ms Begum’s mother was now looking after her two grandchildren but the youngest child suffered from nightmares and was affected by the colour red.

Judge Brian Barker, the Common Serjeant of London, said gambling “had got the better” of Islam and said the addiction led to his “downfall, misery and finally disaster”.

He said Islam had caused “untold anguish” to Ms Begum’s family and friends.

Note: This report was drawn from reports in the Murder Maps, the Daily Mail and Total Policing. An initial report on her death was updated 22nd November 2012.

FOD Note: Detective Inspector Pete North described Rushna Begum’s murder as a violent and despicable crime, but then went on to say that the “tragedy of Islam’s crime is that he has deprived his two children of their mother.” FOD regrets that, in his legitimate focus on the children’s loss of their mother, DI North did not first refer to the overriding tragedy that Ms Begum, who was obviously courageous, held down a job and been a good parent to her children, had lost her right to life. We also note that the Judge’s reported comments also appear to focus on the anguish of Ms Begum’s family and the devastating effects of gambling on Islam’s life, rather than Ms Begum’s right to life and the years of violence she suffered. Questions should surely be asked about how it was that Ms Begum reported serious violence and threats to kill on more than one occasion to the police and council officials and there were independent witnesses to prior injury, but she and her children were not safeguarded and Islam was not prosecuted. There is no report of review by the IPCC.

Comments on the Daily Mail’s website showed more concern for Rushna Begum. We quote just part of one comment from ‘Leakath‘, who wrote: “I knew rushna, she was a kind devoted person who alway put her family first, she also put up with this mans violence for many years. Anyone that knew rushna will tell you she would never in a billion years be unfaithful….. May Allah give rushna the highest level in paradise!”

By Jean Calder

Ben Pedersen (7) and Freya Pedersen (6) were found stabbed to death on 30th September 2012, next to a car in a rural bridleway near Andover. Their bodies lay alongside that of their father, Michael Pedersen (51). It is accepted by the police that he killed the children and then committed suicide.

The two children had been visiting their paternal grandfather with their father, who was estranged from their mother Erica Pedersen and had been living with his adult son from a previous marriage. Ms Pedersen and he had recently separated and she was believed to have started divorce proceedings.

Some national newspapers have reported that Pedersen was known to be violent, that he had attacked Ms Pedersen and was under some legal restraint not to approach his former home. However, these reports have received little attention. Overwhelmingly, the focus of media cover – which has been widespread and has included a front page article in at least one national newspaper – has not been on Pedersen’s victims, but upon Pedersen himself and his early career as a sergeant in the Household Cavalry. Journalists and editors have paid more attention to Pedersen’s experience of an IRA bomb 30 years ago – and the fact that Sefton, his now long-dead horse, survived the blast and received a Horse of the Year prize – than in the murder of the two children and the anguish of their bereaved mother. At least one headline referred to Pedersen, who was slightly injured in the 1982 blast, as a “hero”.

This is despite the fact that Surrey Police admitted they had had “previous contact” with the Pederson family and had thus referred the case to the Independent Police Complaints Commission for review – something that usually happens when there have been prior threats of violence or a history of domestic violence.

There have been several reports about recent acts of violence and threats by Pedersen against his wife. A friend alleged that just 72 hours before the killings, Pedersen had complained to him that Ms Pedersen had told the police that he had hit her and knocked her over. The friend said: “As he left me last week, he said, ‘She will pay for this’ ”. Another friend said Pedersen had recently attacked Ms Pederson, saying: “He left her with two black eyes, a split lip, fractured arm and broken shoulder.” Another woman referred to him as a “bully and a coward”.

These disturbing reports have not stemmed the tide of sentiment about Pedersen’s army history and his injured horse. This is despite the fact that since leaving the army, Pedersen has had a number of jobs and co-ran a haulage company with his wife. They have run a number of small businesses together.

As happens so often in cases where violent men murder their children as an act of revenge against a partner who has left them and subsequently kill themselves, the senior police spokesperson leading the investigation, in this case Detective Superintendent Tony Harris, made no distinction between the three deaths, treating the killer as a victim. He spoke of “those involved”, saying that their family and friends should “be allowed to come to terms with what has happened” at this “difficult” time. He referred to a “terrible incident” and “these tragic deaths”, failing to acknowledge that a murder had been committed against two children who did not choose to die, by an adult male who was their father, but who chose to kill them and then to kill himself.

Surrey Police’s decision to treat the perpetrator of this brutal crime as a victim was further indicated by their decision to announce the appointment of police family liaison officers to work with “the families of Michael, Ben and Freya” – rather than the family of the two murdered children. The families of killers must often be deeply traumatised by their actions, but the police do not normally allocate staff to “provide support and keep them updated”.

Sadly, this double murder was not, as DS Harris called it, an “isolated incident”. Domestic violence is widespread and child killings by fathers are becoming increasingly common. Such murders are not accidents or acts of God and only very rarely arise from mental illness. They are almost always murderous acts of will by violent and controlling perpetrators, usually occurring after their partners have found the strength to leave.

Until the police and media stop feeding into the self-pity of violent perpetrators and start to identify these homicides as the cold blooded murders they are, the killing will go on.

Died 30th September 2012

Ben Pedersen (7) and Freya Pedersen (6) both of Ashford, Middlesex, were found stabbed to death on 30th September 2012, lying next to a car in a bridleway in Newton Stacey, near Andover.

Their bodies were found alongside that of their father, Michael Pedersen (51), of Chertsey, Surrey. The police believe he killed his children and then committed suicide. They have confirmed that no-one else is being sought in connection with the deaths. The children had been visiting their paternal grandfather with their father.

Michael Pedersen is believed to have attacked his second wife Erica in the weeks leading up to the tragedy in front of their two children. The couple had recently separated and she was believed to have started divorce proceedings.

Recent reports in several national newspapers suggest that Pedersen was a violent man. A friend of Michael Pedersen’s reported that just 72 hours before the killings, Pedersen told him that Ms Pedersen had told the police that he had hit her and knocked her over. Speaking to the Daily Mirror, the friend said: “As he left me last week, he said, ‘She will pay for this’ and those words still send a shiver down my spine in the light of what happened. It was only afterwards that I’d recalled what he’d said. I had no idea whatsoever he might do something.”

Another friend also reported Pedersen was controlling, arrogant and a bully. Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, she alleged he had recently attacked his wife, saying: “He left her with two black eyes, a split lip, fractured arm and broken shoulder.” She added: “He was a jealous person , very jealous. She was younger and beautiful and I suppose he felt threatened by it.”

Surrey Police confirmed that they had had “previous contact” with the Pederson family and therefore they referred this contact to the Independent Police Complaints Commission for review. However, it has been reported that the IPCC has refused to investigate.

Erica Pedersen was a driving instructor and also company secretary of Highroad Logistics SE Ltd., a firm which she and her husband ran together. They had been married for 10 years and had reportedly run a number of small businesses together.

Relatives said Ms Pedersen was too upset to speak about the devastating loss and asked to be left to grieve in peace.

A staff member at the children’s school, Ashford C of E primary school, expressed shock at the children’s deaths, saying: “It’s terrible news. They are lovely children.”

Ms Pederson’s father, William Clifford, from Buckinghamshire, speaking outside his daughter’s home in Ashford, Middlesex, said: “We are obviously devastated and what we would ask is that you respect our privacy in this matter. It is extremely distressing and that is all I want to say.”

Detective Superintendent Tony Harris said the mother of the two children had alerted Surrey Police at 7pm on Sunday after Mr Pedersen failed to return with the children at the arranged time of 5pm.

DS Harris said: “We are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding this terrible incident and are working to establish what has led to these tragic deaths. We are treating this as an isolated incident and we do not believe anyone else was involved.” He added: “The families of Michael, Ben and Freya have been informed and specialist family liaison officers from Hampshire Constabulary, and officers from Surrey Police, are working with them to provide support and keep them updated as the investigation progresses. Our thoughts are with the family and friends of those involved at this extremely difficult time and I would ask that they be allowed to come to terms with what has happened in a dignified and respectful way.”

He said “A Home Office pathologist visited the scene and at this time it appears the children suffered fatal stab wounds and Mr Pedersen took his own life shortly afterwards.”

He added: “Any scene you go to with children involved is distressing for the officers, we have given them support and they continue to receive support. It is very tragic, it’s a dreadful loss of life, one of the most tragic cases I have had to deal with.”

Pedersen had two other children from a previous relationship.

It has emerged that Pedersen was a former army sergeant who survived an IRA bomb blast in central London in 1982, as the unit took part in a changing of the guard ceremony. Four soldiers and seven horses were killed in the explosion, which left Pedersen’s horse Sefton seriously injured.

Note: This report was drawn from reports in Sky News, Channel 4, the Daily Telegraph, the Daily Mirror and the Mail Online.

FOD Notes:

We note with disquiet that the media, including television stations, have appeared more interested in Pedersen’s connection with an IRA bomb blast 30 years ago – and the fact that he once collected the Horse of the Year prize on behalf of his now long-dead horse – than in the murder of the two children and the anguish of their bereaved mother. This is despite the fact that Surrey Police admitted they had had “previous contact” with the Pederson family and had thus referred the case to the Independent Police Complaints Commission for review – something that usually happens when there have been prior threats of violence or a history of domestic violence. The IPCC has reportedly refused to proceed with this review, because contact with the police was slight. However, there have been several reports in national media about recent acts of violence and threats by Pedersen against his wife. They have not stemmed the tide of reports about Pedersen’s army history and his horse. At least one headline referred to him as a “hero”.

As so often happens in cases where men murder their children as an act of revenge against a partner who has left them, the senior police spokesperson leading the investigation, in this case Detective Superintendent Tony Harris, made no distinction between the three deaths, asking that the family and friends of “those involved” at this extremely difficult time “be allowed to come to terms with what has happened”. He referred to a “terrible incident” and “these tragic deaths”, failing to acknowledge that a murder had been committed against two innocent children by a man who happened to be their father, but chose to kill them and then to kill himself.

Surrey Police’s decision to treat the perpetrator of this crime as a victim was further indicated by their decision to announce the appointment of police family liaison officers to work with “the families of Michael, Ben and Freya” – rather than the family of the two murdered children. The families of perpetrators are often deeply distressed by their actions, but the police do not normally allocate staff to “provide support and keep them updated”.

Sadly, this double murder was not, as DS Harris called it, an “isolated incident”. Domestic violence is widespread and child killings by fathers are becoming increasingly common. Such murders are not accidents or acts of God and only very rarely arise from mental illness. They are almost always murderous acts of will by violent and controlling perpetrators, usually occurring after their partners have found the strength to leave. Until the police and media stop feeding into the self-pity of violent perpetrators and start to identify these homicides as the cold blooded murders they are, the killing will go on.

Died 14th May 2011

Crystal Hall-Hummel, who was 11 months old, was found severely injured on 13th May 2011 at an address in Nursery Lane, Worthing in Sussex. She died the next day in St Thomas’s Hospital, London.

On 19th September 2012, Jerome Edwards (27) of Bridgefield Close, Midhurst, who was on trial for the baby’s murder at Lewes Crown Court, was instead unanimously found guilty of manslaughter. The jury accepted that he lost his temper when the baby wouldn’t stop crying. He was jailed for 8 years.

Edwards was formerly boyfriend to Crystal’s mother, Georgina Hummel (now 18), but was not the father of the child. They had been together for ten months at the time the baby was killed. Ms Hummel was living in a mother and baby support unit in Worthing and often visited Edwards at his home. She had twice before left Crystal there alone overnight to sleep to give herself a break, the court was told.

Outside court Ms Hummel paid tribute to her daughter, saying: “I miss her so much and I will never stop loving her.” She also condemned her former boyfriend, saying: “I can only pray that in the future he is never given responsibility for a baby or child and he is never again given the trust that I gave him, as my punishment for his crime is worse that any punishment he could ever be given. To lose a child is bad enough, but to lose one knowing that they suffered a violent and cruel death at the hands of someone you trust is heartbreaking.”

Paramedics found the baby “completely blue and not breathing” when they arrived at the flat, Lewes Crown Court was told, but they managed to resuscitate Crystal after 50 minutes. She was taken to Worthing Hospital and was thereafter transferred to London, where she died.

According to Sussex Police, a post-mortem examination carried out by a Home Office pathologist and a specialist paediatric pathologist gave a provisional cause of Crystal’s death as head injury. Further detailed and expert analysis by doctors specialising in infant head injury established that her death was caused by internal head injuries.

Edwards was accused of shaking and possibly throwing Crystal Hall-Hummel after “losing his patience” at her crying. Jurors at Lewes Crown Court wept as Judge Anthony Scott-Gall recounted how Edwards shook tiny Crystal like a rag doll. He said the child’s life was “snuffed out in a moment” and described it as “..a grave, unhappy and serious case.” The child suffered such traumatic injuries one doctor said they were the “most severe” he had seen in 20 years.

Jennifer Knight, the prosecutor, told the court Edwards had been looking after Crystal alone in his flat while her mother Georgina caught up on some sleep at the mother and baby unit where she lived nearby. Ms Knight told jurors at Lewes Crown Court: “When Crystal was examined she was found to have injuries consistent with having been shaken forcefully and some kind of impact to the top of her head.” She added that there were three main categories of injuries suffered by Crystal found after her death which pointed to her being forcefully shaken. Ms Knight said these three injuries were known as a ‘triad’ and were consistent with a baby possibly being shaken forcefully. Ms Knight said: “Jerome Edwards was the only person present at the time and must have in reality inflicted these injuries. In light of the injuries suffered it is apparent Jerome Edwards must have lost his patience with her – perhaps due to tiredness from a late night with a crying baby. He must have lost his temper for a short period of time and may have shaken her before throwing her or hitting her against something. When he shook Crystal he must have known inherently that in doing that to a child of her age he would likely cause her serious harm.”

Ms Knight said: “Jerome Edwards told paramedics that Crystal had been asleep on the sofa, she had woken him so he gave her a bottle of milk and then he fell back asleep.

When he next woke up he heard a squeaking gurgling noise and found that Crystal was not breathing and was already purple.” After he arrived at the hospital he added that he had shaken Crystal after finding her to get her to breathe again but that he had not done it hard.

In his evidence, Edwards said he had tried to resuscitate Crystal after waking to find her blue and limp. He said he had swaddled the baby in a blanket and propped her up on the sofa with a bottle propped in her mouth before falling back to sleep. He said that when he found Crystal wasn’t breathing he tried to shake her to resuscitate her. He claimed not to have intended to hurt her. He said “Of course I didn’t intend to hurt her. She was my little girl. It’s really hard but I’m having to blame myself. I don’t want to. I never hurt Crystal or Georgina or anyone.”

A council spokeswoman said: “This was a tragedy for all involved, and we would like to extend our sympathies and thoughts to Crystal’s mother Georgina and her family and friends. The last year and a half has been a traumatic time for all the family and we hope that the conclusion of the trial will offer some form of closure for them.”

Judge Anthony Scott-Gall told Edwards: “You momentarily lost your temper with little Crystal”. He completely rejected Edwards’ tale that Crystal suffered the injuries by choking on a bottle. However, he accepted he did not set out to murder her, adding: “There was no intention to kill that little girl and you are full of remorse for killing her.” He even said that before the killing Crystal, Ms Hummel and Edwards were a “happy little family of three”.

The Judge’s words are very much at variance Georgina Hummel’s statement which was made after the court case. Her full statement was:

“It is very difficult to explain how I feel. A mixture of emotions – anger, pain, sorrow, guilt. My life and that of my family have been torn apart. Before this trial began, all I wanted to know was what happened that night and why my daughter died. I was not fully aware of the extent of her injuries and the distress she must have felt before she lost consciousness. How can someone do that to an innocent baby, who never caused harm to anyone and who could not fight back or defend herself? I can only pray that my little girl did not suffer too much in those last few hours of her life. That would be unbearable. Crystal’s life had only just begun and was cut short by the violent hands of Jerome Edwards, a man both Crystal and I trusted. She was just a baby. For the jury to find him guilty, there has been justice for my baby’s death and action taken for the person responsible. I know it will not bring Crystal back, but it will ensure he has plenty of time to think about what he did to a defenceless, innocent baby and the pain he has caused me and my family. People now know that he is an evil man capable of killing. I can only pray that in the future he is never given responsibility for a baby or child and he is never again given the trust that I gave him, as my punishment for his crime is worse that any punishment he could ever be given.To lose a child is bad enough, but to lose one knowing that they suffered a violent and cruel death at the hands of someone you trust is heartbreaking. Crystal is irreplaceable. I miss her so much and I will never stop loving her.”

In evidence, Georgina Hummel had said of Edwards: “He bought her presents and clothes and did everything he could and sometimes looked after her when I was too tired. He would make her bottles and change her. He was really good with her.” However, she recalled an incident “The second time he looked after her he had her on the bed wrapped up and he went to the toilet and she managed to get out of the blanket and whacked her head on the metal headboard. He phoned me up straight away and said he needed to take her to the doctor because she had banged her head. I was shocked and crying. One of the other girls at the mother and baby centre told me that if she had a bruise it meant she would not have any internal injuries. He took her to the doctors but it wasn’t open because it was a Sunday but by the time we got back she was laughing and wasn’t sick. I just thought it was a little bang on the head.”

The death was investigated by the Surrey and Sussex Major Crime Team. West Sussex Local Safeguarding Children Board is in the process of carrying out a serious case review into Crystal’s death for West Sussex County Council. The initial findings are that this death was not predictable, and therefore could not have been prevented. Crystal had been known to the local authority’s social services team and had been on its “Children in Need” register, though not the “At Risk Register”.

Died 18th September 2012

Kim Buckley (46), her daughter Kayleigh (17) and Kayleigh’s six month old baby daughter Kimberley died on 18th September 2012, in a fire in their home on the Coed Eva estate in Cwmbran, south east Wales. Kimberley was born premature. She had been allowed home the day before the fire.

Police said neighbours attempted to save the family, but were beaten back by flames. Up to 30 firefighters fought the blaze before it was brought under control and put out.

Carl Anthony Mills (28), of no fixed address, was arrested shortly after the fire and was charged on 3 counts of murder, which he denies. He was 17 year old Kayleigh’s estranged boyfriend.

He appeared before Judge Mr Justice Wyn Williams on 11th January 2013. The Judge has set a trial date of 24th June at Cardiff Crown Court.

Kayleigh had given birth to twin daughters six months before her death and was still coming to terms with the tragedy of losing one at birth when she died. Baby Kimberley had been brought home for the first time on the day she died after spending the first six months of her life in hospital.

The case has been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) because of prior police visits to the address. They will investigate whether Gwent Police could have done more to protect the family.

In a statement issued on the evening of 18th September, the police force said: “Gwent Police can confirm that, while we cannot comment on particular details of incidents, we are aware that police officers have attended 15 Tillsland, Coed Eva on previous occasions.”

A family friend Terena Mellor was reported to say “A couple of weeks ago someone got into the house and cut all the electrical wires and plugs. Kim said she had a threat to torch the house a couple of months ago.” Ms Mellor, described Kim Buckley as “a character, very loud and fun-loving”. She added: “This is such a tragedy. Kim and Kayleigh were very close and this should have been a happy time for everyone in the family.”

It is reported that Kimberley was born three months premature at just 1lb 9oz and was cared for in intensive care at the Royal Gwent Hospital, in Newport. Her twin sister Angel tragically died shortly after the birth weighing just 15oz. A family friend said it was “touch and go” for a time for the baby because her birth weight was so low. Kayleigh visited her surviving baby every day in hospital for five months until Monday 19th September when the child was allowed out for the first time.

In a facebook message in the week before the fire Kayleigh said: “She is 11lbs 3oz. Getting excited now. Could be home soon but not saying until she is home. Don’t want to jinx it.”

Congratulations banners were hung from the family home and there was a little party for family and friends on the Monday night when they finally brought Kayleigh home. The house was set on fire around 3am the next morning as the family slept. People nearby report hearing Kayleigh screaming: “Help, us, help us”. Firefighters found their bodies shortly afterwards.

At the time of their deaths, friends of the Buckley family spoke of their shock at their loss. Rachel Speed, from Fairwater High School which Kayleigh attended, said she was remembered fondly there. “It was devastating today,” she said “Even pupils who didn’t know her particularly well have been traumatised by it. They’ve been offered counselling within the school.”

Neighbours described Kim Buckley as a “protective and proud” grandmother.

Following the deaths, Chief Inspector Steve Corcoran said: “This is a clearly a tragic and horrendous incident where three generations of the same family have sadly lost their lives.” He added “This has affected the wider community, they were well known within the community and their loss will be keenly felt and they will be missed. We are grateful for the co-operation of the community at this awful time. We are working with partners to ensure that all those affected will be given support.” CI Corcoran also paid tribute to two male neighbours who tried to save the family.

Detective Superintendent Pete Jones said: “Our thoughts remain with the family of Kim, Kayleigh and Kimberley at this difficult time. I would like to thank the family and the wider community of Coed Eva for their patience and support throughout our investigation so far.”

Dewi Rose, head of operations at South Wales Fire and Rescue Service said: “Five fire stations and approximately 30 firefighters quickly arrived at the scene of the incident and fire crews worked hard to extinguish the fire and attempted to rescue the persons trapped inside the building.We are and will continue to work with our partners Gwent Police and scenes of crime to establish the cause of the fire.”

Torfaen Welsh assembly member Lynne Neagle said: “I’m totally shocked by this tragedy, which has seen three innocent lives lost in terrible circumstances. My thoughts are with their families.” She added that Coed Eva was an incredibly tight-knit community and that people would be deeply affected and saddened.

Local MP Paul Murphy added: “My heart goes out to the family and friends of those killed in this awful fire, and I’d like to offer them my thoughts and prayers at this difficult time. I’d appeal for anyone who can help the police with their investigation to come forward.”

It is reported that Kayleigh Buckley met Mills in an internet chatroom while she was in school studying for her GCSEs and that Mills left his home in Manchester to move to Cwmbran. It is said that they were together for a year.

Note: This report was compiled from reports in the BBC and Daily Mail, MSN and Belfast Telegraph.

Disappeared presumed dead, Charlene in 2003 and Paige in 2007

Charlene Downes (14) disappeared in 2003 and is presumed dead. Paige Chivers (15) went missing in 2007 and is also presumed dead.

The two girls were linked to alleged sexual grooming and exploitation focussed upon fast food outlets in Blackpool. Following Charlene Downes’ disappearance in 2003, police found more than 60 girls were being groomed for sex around 11 Blackpool takeaways. They were mainly aged between 13 and 15, but some were as young as 11. It is alleged the children involved were offered food, alcohol and cigarettes in return for sexual activity.

Charlene Downes

Two restaurant owners were acquitted of Charlene Downes’ murder in 2007 and the crime remains unsolved. A jury failed to reach a verdict on charges that Iyad Albattikhi, a Jordanian, had murdered Charlene Downes while his landlord Mohammed Reveshi, an Iranian, had disposed of her body. A retrial collapsed in 2008 amid failings in the police investigation and the men were paid almost £250,000 each in compensation. The defence had successfully questioned the integrity of the recorded evidence and the accuracy of the transcription.

Claims were made in court that takeaway staff had joked that Charlene’s remains had “gone into the kebabs”. Recordings, later discredited, were alleged to reveal the accused talking about the disposal of the body. In 2012, the kebab shop, now renamed, was refused a hot food licence amid reports of continued ‘sexual activity’ linked to the premises, but the applicants reportedly blamed a police vendetta and appealed. FOD could find no reports as to whether that appeal was successful.

There have been allegations that a police report produced after Charlene Downes vanished in 2003 was suppressed, because of the racial mix of alleged abusers, most of whom were asian or middle eastern in origin, and victims, most of whom were white. Lancashire Police denied a cover up, saying the report had been available online since 2007 but had never been intended for publication. Assistant Chief Constable Andy Rhodes said his officers were making significant progress in tackling child sex exploitation across Lancashire, regardless of the background of the culprits. However, former Detective Superintendent Mick Gradwell warned that research into the problem was being hampered by “concerns about upsetting community cohesion”.

Paige Chivers

Paige Chivers disappeared from her home in Longford Avenue, Bispham, Lancashire on 23rd August 2007 after a family argument. She packed a suitcase before she left. She was a former student at Montgomery High School.

Four people have previously been arrested on suspicion of Paige’s murder but all have been released without charge. Police in Lancashire have said they are committed to finding her killer. Detective Superintendent Dermott Horrigan, who is leading the investigation, said the police had “exhausted potential leads” for Paige, who would now be 20. He said it was never too late for people to come forward with new information, adding: “We remain committed to finding out the truth about what has happened to Paige.”

Paige was due to inherit a substantial amount of money on her 18th birthday following the death of her mother, police said.

Two years after her disappearance a 51-year-old man was arrested in Blackpool and was questioned about the disappearance. At that time, Detective Chief Inspector Mark Rothwell, from Lancashire Police’s major investigation team, was in charge of the investigation. He said then “Paige’s family continue to live with the daily anguish of not knowing what has happened to her and this month will face their third Christmas without her….We continue to keep an open mind and look for evidence as to what has happened to Paige.”

At the time she disappeared, her father, Chris, said: “I know that we had cross words before she left but I’m sure we can sort things out.” Detective Superintendent Kevin Toole said: “Paige has been described to us as a ‘streetwise’ girl, but nevertheless she is only 15 and we need her to contact us or her father to say that she is safe and well.

Note: This report was drawn from reports in the BBC and in the Daily Mail.

Died 21st January 2012

Kate Mott (35), a nurse and mother of two children, was raped and strangled by her estranged and violent husband Brent Mott (32) at her home in Everard Road in Southport, Merseyside, on 21st January 2010. Mott was jailed for life on 11th August 2010 and ordered to serve a minimum of 25 years.

In January 2012, following an investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), it was revealed that Police had dismissed Kate Mott’s complaint that he was harassing her, as a case of “bickering adults”. Despite telling police that Brent Mott, also a nurse, had ignored a court order to stay away from her and was eligible for arrest, no checks were made.

According to the IPCC, Kate Mott, who worked at Southport hospital with Brent Mott, had taken “appropriate legal steps” to protect herself and obtained a court order against her husband, which had attached a power of arrest. Merseyside Police failed to log it and 5 weeks later, Mott strangled her.

The IPCC unearthed “failings at each stage” after Ms Mott rang police in December 2009, to complain Mott was harassing her, in breach of the court order. When she sought help from Merseyside police, “errors” in the way it processed one of her calls led to it being handled incorrectly and “she did not receive the level of service she was